Feed drain and safety device for water heaters



Dec. 18, 1951 L. LE BOZEC ETTAL 2,579,387

FEED DRAIN AND SAFETY DEVICE FOR WATER HEATERS Filed Aug. 26, 1947 sSheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 18, 1951 1.. LE BozEc ETAL FEED DRAIN AND SAFETYDEVICE FOR WATER HEATERS Filed Aug. 26, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 1951 L. LEBOZEC ETAL 2,579,337

FEED DRAIN AND SAFETY DEVICE FOR WATER HEATERS Filed Aug. 26, 1947 3Sheets-Sheet 5 trol shaft and said inlet valve.

Patented Dec. 18, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FEED DRAIN AND SAFETYDEVICE roa WATER HEATERS Application August 26, 1947, Serial No. 770,694

In France October 2, 1946 v 4 Claims. (01. 27720) The object of ourinvention is a feed, drain and safety device adapted to be used in awaterheater and which is intended to be inserted between saidwater-heater and the water inlet ductor pip Ou'rdevice comprises a waterinlet valve and a water outlet valve which valves are both controlled bymeans of a common shaft adapted to carry out a combined. translationaland rotational movem'entdueto the provisionof a lug engaged in a slotthe pitch of which,with reference to the said shaft varies from one endto the other end of said shaft.

' According to apreferred embodiment the'locking of theinlet valve isobtained by means of an adjustable stop-screw, inserted between the con-Our invention will behest understood with reference to the annexeddrawings in which we have illustrated a number of embodiments of thesaid invention, and in which:

Figs. 1 to '7 show a first embodiment, Figs. 1 and 2 being verticalsections along two planes at right angle one to the other, and showingthe parts in the respective positions corresponding to the blockedcondition of the inlet valve Figs. 3 and 4 being views similar to Figs.1 and 2 but corresponding to the normal unblocked position of the inletvalve, Figs. 5 and 6 being similar views, corresponding to the drainposition and Fig. 7 showing on a larger scale the slot used to guide thecontrol shaft of the device.

Fig. 8 shows a modification relating to the adjustment of the outletpipe. a V

Fig. 9 shows in vertical partial cross-section a modification in theadjustment of the said outlet pipe, and

Fig. 10 shows in axial cross-section a device in which the'adjustment ofthe inlet valve, is

obtained by means of a screw adapted to be operated fromthe outsideofthe'device. I a The device shown in Figs. 1 to '7 comprises "a body Iprovided with three externally threaded pipe-stubs of which ,stub 2 isto be connected with the waterinlet pipe, stub 3 is to be connected withthe'water'heater to be fed and stub 4 is to be connected with an outletpipe.

On body I is fixed by means of screws 5 an outer flange of a sleeve 6 inwhich there is r mounted a shaft 1 provided with a packing-box 8 andcontrolling hand-wheel 9. Said handwheel Sis provided with a pointer II, the end of which is adapted to be movedgona scale..I2.

Shaft I is adapted to slide axially as well as to rotate within sleeve6. For such purpose the said shaft'is' provided with a lug l3cooperating with a guide-slot I 4 in sleeve 6. The said slot comprisespart e 1 which is at a considerable angle to a longitudinal section ofsleeved: Part 8 j of slot I4 is followed by another part f g of wheel 9is rotated from 2 the same slot at a, quite low angle to a longitudinalsection of sleeve 6, point 9 being located at the middle of the inclinedcourse of lug I3. From g to h slot I4 is directed along a longitudinalsection of sleeve 6. I

Inlet valve I5, located in stub 2, is urged towards its closed positionby a weak spring I6 bearing on a shoulder ofsleeve 6.

The stem of valve I5 is guided within sleeve 5. A screw II carried onshaft I is adapted to engage the said valve stem. v

In stub 4 is provided a valve I9 intended to operate as a drain valveand as a safety valve. Valve I9 is integral with a stem 2| controlled bymeans of a cam 22 on shaft 1.

The said valve I9 is provided with a return spring 23 bearing on athreaded ring 24. Ring 24 screws in an inner thread of stub 4, due towhich the calibration ofspring 23 may be adjusted by turning'ring 24. a

In order to make impossible that spring 23 be excessively compressed byoperating ring 24, a circular groove 25 has been machined at the insideof stub 4 so that the upper edge of said groove acts as a stop for ring24. Spring 23 bears on a circular disc carried by ring 24 at mid-heightof said ring, in such a manner that ring 24 may be turned upside downwithout changing the calibration of the spring.

Such a device may be operated in the following manner:

Supposing that lug I3 is opposite point g in slot I 4. corresponding topointer II pointing at the mark on scale I2, cam 22 and the remainingparts are in the respective positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Screw II then bears on the stem of inlet valve I5, which is thusstrongly pressed on its seat, so that-no water can be let in.

7 Moreover, cam 22, which is in the position shown in Fig. 2, is out ofengagement with stem 2I and the outlet valve I9 is thus closed.

To bring the device into normalposition, handi the 90 position towardsthe 0 position. As lug I3 travels from g to f the head of screw II movesto the right side in Fig. 1 by a distance as shown at a (Fig. 7) saiddistance being suificient' for stopping the compression of the resilientpackin of inlet valve ii.

If the movement of handwheel 9 is then carried on towards the 0indication lug I3 travels from) to e in slot I4 and consequently shaft Iand screw I1 execute in sleeve 6 an axial movement the length of whichequals 12 (Fig. 7) due to which movement valve 15 is released. Valve I5is then pressed on its seat only by the weak spring I6 and thereforeacts as a free swinging valve. This corresponds to the normal position:shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

' If the water pressure in the inlet duct con- 3 nected to stump 2exceeds the pressure inside of the water heater plus the weak pressuredue to spring IE, valve is formed from its seat, which allows for thefeeding of the water heater to be supplied.

In the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and marked 90 (lug l3 oppositepoint 9) if it be des ed to empty the water heater, the handwheel iirotated towards the 180 mark, thus shifting 1 any axial progress insleeve 6,, valve l5 remains in the closed position and cam 22 engagesstem 2L, pushing it in such a manner that valve I9 is opened. This isthe drain position shown'of Figs. 5 and 6 and corresponding to the 180indication, lug I3 being then at point n.

The device being in the normal position shown in Figs. 3 and 4 (lug 13being at pointy) if the internal pressure raises above the nominalmaximum for which spring 23 was calibrated, valve 15 is strongly pressedon its :seat, while Valve I9 is opened under the .action of the saidpressure, thus pressing on spring-23. Valve 19 then Operates as asafetyvalve and allows fora determined amount of water flowing out, whichbrings again the internal pressure to a normal value.

The calibration of the spring 23 of the drain valve may be obtained byany .suitable means.

For instance, a threaded sleeve 28 (Fig. 8) provided with a milledflange .29 may be used.

Moreover, instead of providing on shaft 1 a thrust screw Facting ontheinlet valve, the thrust screw I! may, as shownin Fig.9, be supported onthe valve stem, the said stem being adapted to "slide axially in shaft1;

As shown in Fig-. 10, a screw 3| may also be used, as an adjustablethrustmember, the threaded part of which is prolongated by means of asmooth rod 32 extending within the control shaft to the outside of thedevice, by passing through a packing-box 33. This'allows for an easyadjustment of valve 15 at any time and in any position.

The device which is the-object of our invention has the advantages ofbeing-easily manufactured, securely operated and readily adjusted.

Our invention is not intended to be limited to the particularembodimentswshown by way of illustration and many auxiliarymodifications may be used as regards the apparatus described in thescope of our invention as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

l. A valve comprising acasing having an inlet port, a discharge port anda drain port, .a valve stem guiding sleeve extending into said casingand having an inner end disposed opposite said inlet port, a valve stemrotatably and slidably mounted in said sleeve and having an inner end,said sleeve having a slot extending about a part of its-cimumferencewith at least a portion thereof of helical form, a stud carried by thevalve stem and positioned in said slot for imparting axial movement tosaid stem upon rotation thereof, a valve member slidably mounted in theinner end of said sleeve and engaged by the inner end of the stem forclosing the inlet port, a spring loaded valve element closing the drainport, and a cam on said stem cooperating with the .spring loaded valvefor opening the latter.

2. A valve comprising a casing having an inlet port, .a discharge portand a drain port, a valve stem guiding sleeve extending into said casingand having an inner end disposed opposite said inlet port, .a valve stemrotatably and slidably g [3 from g to h. Shaft 1 then rotates withoutmounted in said sleeve and having an inner end, said sleeve having aslot extending about a part of its circumference with one portion ofhelical form, an adjoining portion of helical form of smaller pitch anda third portion lying in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the stem,a stud carried by the valve stem and positioned in said slot forimparting axial movement to said stem upon rotation thereof, a valvemember slidably mounted in the inner end of said sleeve and engaged bythe inner end of the stem for closing the inlet port, a spring loadedvalve element closing "the drain port, and a cam on said stemcooperating with the spring loaded valve for opening the latter, saidstud and cam being so positioned relative to each other that the camwill engage the spring loaded valve when the stud is in the thirdportion of said slot.

3. A valve comprising a casing having an inlet port, a discharge portand a drain port, a valve stem guiding sleeve extending .into saidcasing and having an inner end disposed opposite said .inlet port, avalve stem member rotatably and slidably mounted in said sleeve andhaving an inner end, said sleeve having a slot extending about a part ofits circumference with at least a portion thereof of helical form, .astud carried by the valve stem member and positioned in said slot forimparting axial movement to said stem member upon rotation thereof, avalve member slidably mounted coaxially within the inner end of saidsleeve for closing the inlet port, a light spring urging the valvemember to closed position regardless of the axial position of the stemand an adjustable stop carried by one of the stem and the valve membersto engage the other member to positively urge the valve member to closedposition.

4. A valve comprising a casing having an inlet port, a discharge portand a drain port, a valve stem guiding sleeve extending into said casingand having an inner end disposed opposite said inletport, a valve stemrotatably and slidably mounted in said sleeve and having an inner end,said sleeve .havinga slot extending about a part of its circumferencewith at least a portion thereof of helical form, a stud carried by thevalve stem and positioned said slot for imparting axial movement to saidstem upon rotation thereof, a valve member slidably mounted in the.inner end of said sleeve for closing the inlet port, a light springurging the valve member to closed position regardless of the axialposition of the stem and an adjustable stop carried by the inner end ofthe stem for engaging the valve member to positively urge the latter toclosed position, and having an actuating head extending axially throughthe valve stem to the exterior .of said casing.

LEON LE .BOZEC. GEORGES GAUTIER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS France Aug. 5,1935

